After a 2015 move from North Dakota to Alaska to support my wife’s career, I was blessed with a great opportunity in Colorado in early 2017. We packed up and drove the ALCAN again, this time from Wasilla, AK to Castle Rock, CO. We didn’t waste any time researching places to hunt, fish, hike and camp in the state. Fellow CO Hunttalkers (KHunter, Dinkshooter, T-Bone and Oak) were welcoming and helpful in answering questions and getting us pointed in the right direction. We were also thankful we had been building CO preference points (PP) for everyone in the family for many years. Those non-resident PP’s now transferred to resident PP’s and became VERY valuable!
Labor Day Weekend found my wife, daughter and myself in WY with six antelope doe tags. My daughter missed a few, but gained confidence with a good shot near the end of the hunt. My wife took two does out of the same herd at 200 yards with two great shots. We ended up filling five of the six tags and on the way out of town my wife said “That was so fun, I wish we had another week and six more tags!” It doesn’t get better than that!
Next up was a trip to ND to hunt waterfowl with my son and some friends. We had great weather and my son was able to knock down ducks, geese, cranes and grouse all in three days. A great mixed bag hunt on the prairie!
In early October my daughter and I were in SW CO during the 1st Rifle Season trying to get her first elk. We had pre-scouted the area over the summer, but were surprised to find the trail we had been using to access our hunt area was now closed. We had a plan B, but both knew it was not nearly as good. Warm weather and a short time frame didn’t help. No elk, but it was fun spending time with my daughter and she had a great attitude/sense of humor about it. Time well spent for sure!
For CO’s 2nd Season my wife had a mulie buck tag in a remote, but desirable unit. We located multiple small bucks in the first hour, but she was willing to pass since we had a few days to hunt. The second hour of the hunt we spotted two very nice bucks! They were bedded next to a small stand of aspen in an ocean of sage. Terrain allowed us to get into 150 yards and she was able to choose between the two bucks. She choose wisely and her first mule deer was a dandy (my first deer was not nearly as nice)!
The first weekend of CO’s 3rd Season, I was in western CO with a good friend from MT (Rob) and T-Bone. T-Bone had a mulie buck tag, Rob had a bull elk tag and I was there to help where needed. The first day was amazing! Rob and I saw 100 elk before noon. 20 of those elk were bulls and 10 of those bulls were mature, 6x6’s or better. Later that evening, Rob and I were 150 yards from a group of three bulls we had spotted that morning. Excitement levels were high and Rob shot the smallest of the three bulls…he still got a GREAT bull! The next evening, T-Bone shot a dream buck that turned into a bit of a rodeo. He posted a link on HuntTalk in November that is worth the read!
The last weekend of CO’s 3rd season I decided to scout for a late season mule deer tag I had. I learned a lot about the unit the first day and saw some good bucks. Encouraging! There are a few elk in the unit and I had purchased an OTC bull elk tag “just in case”. I am glad I did! On the second evening, I was heading back to my truck right at dark and saw two bulls across the canyon. Three shots later I had a bull down. This was the first, and most likely the last, time I was able to load a whole, gutted bull in the back of my truck. Doing it myself was a chore (I barely avoided a spectacular hernia), but pretty cool experience I don’t expect to enjoy again. Unfortunately, I was so excited I forgot to get a picture of it in the back of the truck.
For the last hunt of the year, I had a really great mule deer tag in CO. I set aside ten days to hunt and was going to enjoy every bit of it! There were good numbers of deer, many mature bucks and VERY little hunting pressure. I set a goal of shooting a buck over 180” which would be my best buck ever. The short story is I looked at and walked away from a lot of bucks for seven days (three of which were bigger than any buck I have ever taken). The evening of day eight, I saw a really cool buck push seven does out of a side canyon into a main canyon. I knew he was nice and dropped into the bottom for a closer look. I got to 250 yards and watched him through the spotting scope for 25 minutes. This unit has the potential for some really big deer and I went back and forth for a long time trying to decide if he was going to ride home in the back of the truck. A big frame, kicker/inline points, good brow tines, and a 30 inch outside spread made my decision.
I am constantly reminded and thankful that I am able to enjoy God’s amazing creation with my family. Life is good and I plan to take advantage of every opportunity to continue doing what I love. I am looking forward to the 2018 hunting season and hope yours is outstanding as well.
Labor Day Weekend found my wife, daughter and myself in WY with six antelope doe tags. My daughter missed a few, but gained confidence with a good shot near the end of the hunt. My wife took two does out of the same herd at 200 yards with two great shots. We ended up filling five of the six tags and on the way out of town my wife said “That was so fun, I wish we had another week and six more tags!” It doesn’t get better than that!
Next up was a trip to ND to hunt waterfowl with my son and some friends. We had great weather and my son was able to knock down ducks, geese, cranes and grouse all in three days. A great mixed bag hunt on the prairie!
In early October my daughter and I were in SW CO during the 1st Rifle Season trying to get her first elk. We had pre-scouted the area over the summer, but were surprised to find the trail we had been using to access our hunt area was now closed. We had a plan B, but both knew it was not nearly as good. Warm weather and a short time frame didn’t help. No elk, but it was fun spending time with my daughter and she had a great attitude/sense of humor about it. Time well spent for sure!
For CO’s 2nd Season my wife had a mulie buck tag in a remote, but desirable unit. We located multiple small bucks in the first hour, but she was willing to pass since we had a few days to hunt. The second hour of the hunt we spotted two very nice bucks! They were bedded next to a small stand of aspen in an ocean of sage. Terrain allowed us to get into 150 yards and she was able to choose between the two bucks. She choose wisely and her first mule deer was a dandy (my first deer was not nearly as nice)!
The first weekend of CO’s 3rd Season, I was in western CO with a good friend from MT (Rob) and T-Bone. T-Bone had a mulie buck tag, Rob had a bull elk tag and I was there to help where needed. The first day was amazing! Rob and I saw 100 elk before noon. 20 of those elk were bulls and 10 of those bulls were mature, 6x6’s or better. Later that evening, Rob and I were 150 yards from a group of three bulls we had spotted that morning. Excitement levels were high and Rob shot the smallest of the three bulls…he still got a GREAT bull! The next evening, T-Bone shot a dream buck that turned into a bit of a rodeo. He posted a link on HuntTalk in November that is worth the read!
The last weekend of CO’s 3rd season I decided to scout for a late season mule deer tag I had. I learned a lot about the unit the first day and saw some good bucks. Encouraging! There are a few elk in the unit and I had purchased an OTC bull elk tag “just in case”. I am glad I did! On the second evening, I was heading back to my truck right at dark and saw two bulls across the canyon. Three shots later I had a bull down. This was the first, and most likely the last, time I was able to load a whole, gutted bull in the back of my truck. Doing it myself was a chore (I barely avoided a spectacular hernia), but pretty cool experience I don’t expect to enjoy again. Unfortunately, I was so excited I forgot to get a picture of it in the back of the truck.
For the last hunt of the year, I had a really great mule deer tag in CO. I set aside ten days to hunt and was going to enjoy every bit of it! There were good numbers of deer, many mature bucks and VERY little hunting pressure. I set a goal of shooting a buck over 180” which would be my best buck ever. The short story is I looked at and walked away from a lot of bucks for seven days (three of which were bigger than any buck I have ever taken). The evening of day eight, I saw a really cool buck push seven does out of a side canyon into a main canyon. I knew he was nice and dropped into the bottom for a closer look. I got to 250 yards and watched him through the spotting scope for 25 minutes. This unit has the potential for some really big deer and I went back and forth for a long time trying to decide if he was going to ride home in the back of the truck. A big frame, kicker/inline points, good brow tines, and a 30 inch outside spread made my decision.
I am constantly reminded and thankful that I am able to enjoy God’s amazing creation with my family. Life is good and I plan to take advantage of every opportunity to continue doing what I love. I am looking forward to the 2018 hunting season and hope yours is outstanding as well.
